Coin handling apparatus



March 29, 1938. B. w. WILLIAMS COIN HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March '27,1936 Iweraio-P ZzfZzf' .M M. $9M m 55 aw xi 7 8.

Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STAES.

AENT OFFICE COIN HANDLING APPARATUS Application March 2"], 1936, SerialNo. 71,214

6 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in coin handling apparatus of thetype having an upright magazine containing a stack of coins, checks,tokens or the like to be moved therefrom and be dispensed by an ejectoror slide member which is driven by some appropriate motor means such forexample as an electric motor, electromagnet or solenoid. Such apparatusmay be used for change making purposes when handling coins, or whenhandling checks or tokens may be used in an amusement device asdisclosed in the patent to Seiden et al. No. 2,010,966 of August 13,1935.

Sometimes when coins and the like become worn and are of less thannormal thickness and sometimes when the coins or the like are notproperly stacked in the magazine the ejector or slide member does notproperly receive the coin or the like and consequently it happens attimes that the slide member jams thereby severely straining the partsobjectionably overloading the driving motor device that drives the slidemember. Also, in some conditions of use, when the motor device is notenergized and the parts are inoperative, unscrupulous persons mayfraudulently force the slide by hand to cause it to dispense checks orthe like from the magazine.

Accordingly, two problems are involved and this invention providesmeans, or a simple, inexpensive character to correct the difiicultiesdescribed.

More particularly the invention relates to means to prevent harmfulresults to the dispenser parts when the ejector, or slide, jams, andsecondly to a releasable lock means for positively locking the slideagainst operation when the motor driving device is dead.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved coin orcheck handling apparatus which will overcome the dimculties encounteredin the use of present known mechanisms of this kind.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved driving meansfor the dispenser member embodying an overload release connection tosave the parts from injury when the article sought to be dispensed jamsthe dispenser member.

Another object is to provide such means in the nature of an attachmentthat can be used with standard apparatus of this type without materiallyaltering the structure of the apparatus.

Still another object is to provide a releasable lock means for theejector or slide dispenser member which is operative to lock the memberwhen the driving motor is dead, and automatically releasable to free theslide member when the driving motor device is energized.

Other important objects will be apparent to those skilled in this art asthe disclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, the improved structure incorporates an overload springconnection between the motor and dispenser slide, which spring normallyserves to move the slide, but gives, when the slide jams to save theparts from damage. An electromag netically controlled lock device isassociated with the slide, the lock device preventing movement of theslide when the driving motor is dead, but being released to free theslide when the driving motor therefore is energized. This novelstructure is illustrated in detail in the accompanying sheet ofdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the coin, and the like, handling apparatus;

Figure 2 is a general, side elevational View the structure shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view, partly in elevation, takenalong the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,and,

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

The apparatus may be constructed as a unit and mounted on a base plateIII which can be located where desired, as for example, on the floor ofa cabinet indicated at H. At one end the base plate is formed with adispenser drop hole 12' leading to a suitable spout [3, as shown.

The top side of the plate 10 is preferably fiat and in this embodimentof the invention carries a reciprocatory, or to and fro, movingdispenser slide member 14 formed at one end with an elongated guide slotI in which is located a headed guide bolt 16 secured appropriately inthe base Hi. The other end of the slide moves through a guide passage llformed in the lower end of a block 18 fastened by screws H! to the baseII). This block is formed with a vertical, cylindrical bore and carriesan upright tube or magazine 20 which contains a stack of coins, checks,tokens or other fiat disk articles to be dispensed. The end of the slide[4 which moves under the magazine 29 is formed with a circular opening21. Normally the slide is in the position shown in Figure 2 with theopening 2| disposed under and in registration with the magazine 20 sothat the column of disk articles therein gravitates into said opening 2!with the column or stack resting on the tight bottom provided by the topsurface of the plate I0. I

Since the slide [4 in the present instance is of a thickness equal tothe thickness of two superimposed disk articles, two of the latter willthus lodge in the opening 2| ready to be moved to the ofiset coin dropopening l2 when the slide I4 is driven. The thickness of the slide maybe varied so that one disk only will be moved thereby, or if made thickenough the slide can be made to receive and move more than two checks orcoins. In other words the type of slide to be employed is entirelyoptional.

The end of the slide I4 remote from the magazine 20 is stopped by anadjustable set screw 22 carried in a block 23 fixedly mounted on thebase l0. Said block 23 also carries an upright pin 24 to which isconnected one end of a tension spring 25 the other end of which issecured to a pin 26 carried on the slide l4, as shown. The spring 25obviously serves normally to pull the slide l4 to the normal positionshown in Figure 2 where the opening 2| therein is in position to receivearticles from the magazine 20.

Adjacent the block 18 the'plate [9 has securely mounted thereon asuitable electromagnetic motor device, such for example as a motor 21,shown. This motor includes a movable part such as the shaft 28, carryinga worm 29 meshed with and driving a worm wheel 30 carried fast on atransverse shaft 3| which is journaled in brackets 32 formed with thehousing for the motor 21.

An end of the shaft 3| is extended as shown to project over the slide l4where it carries and turns a. blank wheel 32' on which is eccentricallymounted a roller 33.

The slide I4 has integrally formed therewith an upright wall 34 whichcarries a pair of spaced transverse pins 35 on one side thereof, whichpins are headed and pass through spaced alinedslots 36 formed in a bar31 carried by said pins 35 on said wall 34, as shown. The left hand pin35 as viewed in the drawing carries one end of a stiff coil spring 38,the other end of which is connected to a pin 39 carried on the bar 31.The tension of the spring 38 serves normally to hold the bar 3'1 to theleft as shown in Figure 2 with the right hand end of the slots 36respectively stopped against the pins 35. The right hand end, or end ofthe bar 31 disposed adjacent the roller 33 is bent transversely at aright angle as at 43.

One edge of the slide [4 is notched as at 4| to be engaged by thestopper end 42 of a pivoted stop pawl 43 pivoted by a pin 44 to the baseI 0 adjacent the slide, said pawl being normally urged by a spring 45 toengage the pawl in the notch 4| to hold the slide l4 locked releasablyagainst movement. This pawl includes an upstanding armature piece 46positioned to be attracted by the core of an eleotromagnet 41 carried bya bracket 48 on the base I 0, as shown. This completes the detaileddescription of the parts comprising the entire structure and the mannerof its operation will next be given.

As has been said, the normal or starting position of the parts is shownin Figures 1 and 2 wherein the slide I4 is held back by the spring 25 toposition the opening 2| directly under the magazine 20, whereupon theslide receives by gravity two superimposed flat circular, coins or thelike. The slide 14 furthermore is held locked by the pawl 43 since thespring 45 is operative to hold it so and the electromagnet 41 isdeenergiz ed. Also it will be understood that the motor '21 likewise isdead. A circuit and control switch for the motor 2'! and magnet 41 havebeen shown in Figure 4. Thus in use it will be desirable to wire themotor 2? and magnet 41 in a series circuit 4'! with a suitable switchcontrol 21 to make and break the circuit so that both the motor andmagnet will be simultaneously energized or deenergized. In other words,when the motor runs the lock is inoperative.

We will therefore assume that the motor starts. At the same instant themagnet 41 is effective to release the pawl 43 in an obvious manner tofree the slide l4 so that as the motor 21 turns the shaft 3! through thegearing described the wheel 32 turns.

Since the roller 33 moves in a path to pick up the bent end 4!. itfollows that the roller 33 picks up the bar 37, so to speak, and pullsit in the direction of the magazine 20. But the bar 37 cannot undernormal loads move relative to the wall 34 and slide 14 because thespring 38 is so stiff or strong that the slide 14 through the wall ispulled with the bar 31 as a unit. Thus the slide 14 moves the coins itholds to a position over the opening 52 to permit the same to drop bygravity from the slide and down through the spout H to be dispensed. Thespring 25, of course, serves to retract the slide from this dispensingposition back to the normal or coin receiving position ready for arepeat stroke as is well understood in the operation of thesemechanisms.

In the event that the slide should jam on its pass across the lower endof the magazine because cf a cooked coin or a worn one, an overloadoccurs which causes the spring 38 to yield or give without moving thewall 34 because it is stuck with the slide M and cannot move because ofthe jamming and the spring 38 is not stiff enough to drive the slideunder such resisting force. Consequently, when the roller 33 pulls theend 40 the bar 31 moves alone relative to the Wall 34 and slide M withthe spring 38 stretching. Thus the slide and driving connections cannotbe forced when jamming takes place and these parts are saved frominjury. Further, the motor 2'! cannot be overloaded and this too ishighly desirable.

This result is especially desirable in such instances where the motor isheld energized long enough to cause the slide to make a number ofstrokes, for in such a case the driving energy when the slide is jammedis dissipated by moving the bar 3'! alone against the pull of the spring38. This simple lost motion connection therefore has great utility. Whenthe dispensing operation has ended and the motor and magnet aredeenergized the spring 45 is operative to move the pawl 53 to its slidelocking position in the notch 4! to prevent movement of the slide I4.

From this disclosure it can now be seen that an improved coin and thelike handling apparatus has been provided which achieves all of thedesirable objects of the invention heretofore recited.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications of theexample of the structure shown for purposes of illustration which do notin material respects constitute departures from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as covered by the appended What is claimed is:

1. In a coin handling apparatus having an upright tube containing acolumn of coins or the like to be dispensed, a, fiat ejector having anopening therein toregister with the lower end of the tube to receive acoin. said ejector being mounted for substantially horizontal movementover a. support to carry a coin in its opening from a, position underthe tube to a dispensing posi tion, a motor device including drivingmeans to move the ejector, the combination with said driving means of atranslationally movable bar carried on the ejector for moving theejector from said driving means, and a spring operatively connectedbetween the bar and ejector; which spring is strong enough for normallypulling the ejector but yields to save the ejector and motor device fromdamage when a coin jams between the ejector opening and tube bypreventing the driving means from moving the slide.

2. In a device of the class described, an upright tube containing coinsor the like to be dispensed, a flat slide having an opening thereinadapted to register with the lower end of the tube to take and move acoin therefrom to a dispensing position, said slide being carried on asupport for reciprocatory movement, a motor device, the combination withsaid slide of a bar carried on the slide for relative slidingmovementwith respect thereto, a spring having ends respectivelyconnected to the bar and slide and in a manner normally to resistrelative movement between the slide and bar, and a driving means betweenthe motor device and bar for driving the bar and moving the slidethrough the spring under normal loads, said spring yielding underabnormal resistance to movement of the slide occurring when a coin jamsbetween the slide opening and tube, whereby said bar will move relativeto the slide without applying driving force to the latter.

3. In a device of the class described, an upright coin containingmagazine, a motor driven slide mounted to slide back and forth under themagazine to dispense coins therefrom, the combination with said slide ofpins carried on the slide, a bar having spaced aligned slots formedtherein, with a pin passed through each slot to mount the bar on theslide, a spring connected between the bar and one of the pins on theslide, said spring being of a stifiness to cause the slide and barnormally to move bodily together, said spring stretching when the slidejams on a coin in the magazine to cause the motor force to be applied tothe bar only whereby the bar moves relative to the slide.

4. In a coin handling apparatus having an upright tube containing acolumn of coins or the like to be dispensed, a flat ejector having anopening therein to register with the lower end of the tube to receive acoin, said ejector being mounted for substantially horizontal movementover a support to carry a coin in its opening from a position under thetube to a dispensing position, an electric motor including gearing, aWheel driven by the gearing, an eccentric drive pin on the wheel, thecombination with the ejector of a bar carried thereon for relativesliding movement, said bar having an end portion en.- gageable by thepin to move same, and a spring connection between the bar and ejector,which connection normally is eiTective to move the slide with the barbut which connection yields and is inefl ective to apply driving forceto the slide when a coin in the opening of the latter jams against thetube.

5. In a device of the class described having a base plate carrying anupright coin containing magazine, a slide member carried on the platefor to and fro movement relative to the magazine to dispense coinstherefrom, an electric motor means including mechanism to drive theslide member, the combination with said slide member having a notchformed in an edge thereof, of a spring pressed lock member carried onthe base plate and normally engaging the'notch to lock the slide memberagainst movement, an electromagnetic releaser means carried on the baseplate adjacent the notched edge of the slide member, and meanssimultaneously to energize the releaser means and the motor means tore-- lease the lock member and free the slide member for operation.

6. In a device of the class described having a base plate carrying anupright coin containing magazine, a slide member carried on the platefor to and fro movement relative to the magazine to dispense coinstherefrom, an electric motor means including mechanism to drive theslide member, the combination with said slide member having a notchformed in an edge thereof, of a spring pressed lock lever normallyengaging the notch to lock the slide member against movement, said locklever carried on the base plate for swinging movement about a verticalaxis, an electromagnetic releaser carried on the base plate adjacent thenotched edge of the slide member and having a core disposed on an axistransverse to the slide member, and means simultaneously to energize themotor means and releaser to swing the lock lever free of the slidemember to enable the latter to operate.

BRADLEE W. WILLIAMS.

